June 2012

Have you ever searched on Google for passports or visas? Or even better, a passport and visa expediter? Oh my!!! There are hundreds, if not thousands of companies listed on every nook and cranny of the search page. How do you know which company is reputable, experienced, the best price, or customer friendly? The thing is you don’t! Of course you can search on yelp, city search, or maybe a friend told you about a fantastic firm. Let’s face it, when it comes to your passport and visas; you want reliability, accountability, and experience. This is where Travel Visa Pro sets the bar.

First and foremost, we strive to create the “fireside chat” with our clients. We don’t want it to seem like you are speaking to a robot, but rather an individual who understands your unique situation. Trust me, every request is inherently unique. Our reps guarantee to give you updated pricing, processing times, and the most economically, viable solution for your intrinsic issue. Included in this hands on service is a confirmation of receipt of documents via email or telephone and we will immediately follow up with you if anything is missing. Your documents are just as important to us as they are to you.

Second, we have a fluid, transparent webpage which allows you to see every step of the process. I, personally like to refer to it as the “dominos pizza” process, referring to their completely track-able pizza process. Ours is very similar. Updates are provided via email every time a step is completed and you can always check our page to see what stage your package is at.

BUT WHAT really makes Travel Visa Pro stand apart from the rest of the expediter companies is some of our unique skill sets which allow for smooth visa facilitation. Take a look below for some of the exclusive things ONLY we can offer!

The overwhelmingly majority of our staff members are versed in a plethora of languages which includes Russian, Arabic, and Spanish. This allows for an easy translation of your documents, exceptional dialogue with the Embassy to explain issues, and the ability to interface with our clients who may feel more comfortable speaking in their native tongue.

Same Day Ghana Visas… Seriously??!! Yes, we can provide a same day service to procure your Ghana visa, BUT this can ONLY happen in our Houston office on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

We offer a next day Nigeria visas service in our Washington, DC office!

Same day and next day Russia visas are available upon request, but it is best to discuss your options with our staff.

Same day Vietnam options are available

Fully capable and outfitted to handle legislations of documents.

These are just a few of the wonderful, unique things that Travel Visa Pro can accomplish. We are 100% committed to meeting your expectations. In fact, we have had several occasions where our staff has taken their personal time after work to deliver a passport or visa. Sometimes this includes airport deliveries, office, or even an out of state drive to a client’s house in the middle of the night. We stop at nothing to get it done!

After gaining some insight into our company, I hope you feel more comfortable and understand Travel Visa Pro is one of kind. We are small, family like business; whom outrival our competitors by providing the client with the most accurate, economic, and viable solution for their fundamental travel needs!

Unlike other countries, Saudi Arabia has a very unique way of handling their immigration rules and regulations. The most important one, which severely affects expatriates, is the exit/re-entry regulations. In Saudi Arabia, one needs to obtain needs to obtain a visa stamp for entry, exit, and re-entry. Many expatriates do not release this and believe since they already have a valid visa they can come and go as they please. This is completely false.
I have already covered in an earlier article “Demystifying the Saudi Arabian Visa Experience” the differences and stipulations regarding exit / re-entry visa. As a reference to the article, I would like to highly stress that any expatriate exiting Saudi Arabia, will need to have an exit and a reentry visa. The good thing is that you will only have to go through this hassle once, as these visas are issued as a six month, multiple entry visas. Now, what happens if you have an emergency or you forgot and this is the 7th time you are reentering? I will highlight the exact steps you will need to follow.

First, note that Thursdays and Fridays are the equivalent of the Western weekend of Saturday and Sunday. This means government offices and computer systems will be closed. Next, the passport and visa offices are closed completely twice a year – 2 weeks for Eid Al-Fitr and 2 weeks for Eid Al-Adha. Last, during Ramadan, which has a rotating calendar schedule, you can expect government offices to have unexpected closures, limited hours, and short staffed. If you do not have a multiple visa or your visa has expired and you happen to find yourself in an emergency situation during any of these times, there are special provisions you must follow. At the Kingdom’s discretion, they may decide to grant you an emergency exit/re-entry visa.

Each of the major 3 airports has an official stationed in the Saudi Passport Department. This positioned is staffed by at least one person 24/7 and 365 days a year. If your situation is extremely dire, the official may acquiesce and decide to grant you an emergency exit/re-entry visa. However, this will not be a multiple, entry visa and is only valid for 15 days; which means you have exactly 15 calendar days (not business days) to re-enter the kingdom. If you do not re-enter within this time frame, your visa will be canceled and you will be considered out of status, which will have huge ramifications financially and legally. Lastly, in order to even begin this process, either your sponsor or sponsor’s Government Relations Rep must personally accompany you to the airport. It is here, he will sign a declaration form certifying your employment, the hosts’ financial responsibility, and guaranteeing your return in 15 days. You can now see how this would affect your employment if you decide to stay longer than the 15 days.

Generally, most major companies in Saudi Arabia have a Government Relations Officer. His specific job is to facilitate a smooth transition with the visa process between the employee, host, and sponsor. It would be a good idea to have this persons contact with you 24/7. If you are approaching a weekend or a major holiday, it is imperative to check the shift schedules or glean the Deputy Director’s number. This can save you a big hassle if you are in need of an emergency entry/re-exit visas.
Of course to prevent embarrassing and stressful situations it is highly advised to apply for the multiple exit/re-entry visas and to keep an accurate account of the visas validity, expiration, and number of uses. These little steps can go a long way to save you from big problems.

Have you ever submitted your US passport to an Embassy for visa processing, thinking you have visa pages, but you really don’t? How embarrasing! But you swore up and down that you had a few extra pages… Wrong! Those last few pages in your passport are known as amendment pages. These pages can only be used for amending your passport, which may include name change, addtional pages, or any other pertinent information the US Department of State wishes to note in your passport. Countries have the absolute right to refuse entry and to refuse to stamp an amendment page. It is best to always check your passport and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Travel Visa Pro.

About Us

Do you want a company that can handle any problem in your visa and passport application process, whether your travel plans require you to be abroad in under 24 hours or you have weeks to prepare?

Wouldn’t you prefer to deal with a business that has helped thousands of people navigate bureaucracies for over 10 years, a travel visa expediting agency catering to small businesses with the resources of a large one?

Travel Visa Pro prides itself on providing excellent customer service, privacy and security, and speed when helping our clients. Our experience and contact list provides your customers with a direct link to the best professionals with connections in embassies and consulates across the globe.